Run Back to Him, Little Girl
by starshollow
Summary: [M/J] Basically this is the story of their past...
1. Every Story Has a Beginning

_Summer 1984_

Two young kids, barely a decade old, stood on a beach in the face of the biggest thunder cloud the season had seen. 

"So will you marry me?" the boy asked softly, as they crouched over a smoking hole in the sand.

"Wow, cool!" The girl whispered, reaching her hand out.

"It's hot, don't touch it," The boy cautioned.  


"We'll be safe here," Jake continued, backing them up a bit.

"Says who?" came the timid response.

"Everybody...lightning never strikes the same place twice," Jake soothed.

"Why would you wanna marry for anyhow?" Melanie questioned, standing to face him.

"So I could kiss you anytime I want..." Jake replied.

The two kids leaned in awkwardly, hesitating for only a moment, before sharing a chaste kiss.

* * *

_Mid-September 1984_

"What's wrong with him?" asked Melanie, eyeing the scruffy cat that Eldon was carrying.

"Oh, you know, he's sick," Jake told her.

"Yeah, his name's Fuzz, and we rescued him, the vet says he's got some kinda cancer," Wade piped up.

"They're gonna kill him since no one wants him," Bobby Ray added.

"Ooh, I bet they'll put him in one of those machines that just sucks the life outta ya," Eldon said.

"They can't do that, can they?" Melanie questioned, "Don't they have to treat him better than that?"

"Nah, sure they can, and they will, and he'll probably die real slow and all," Eldon continued.

"Like being blown up is gonna be any better?" Bobby Ray said.

"Well sure, at least he'll go quick," Wade said.

"Oh, alright then, we need something to stick 'em on anyway," Jake said.

"Let's go then!" Eldon and Wade said together, and so they set off to collect the explosives from near the old highway and begin yet another classic prank. 

As far as the town of Pigeon Creek was concerned, the five kids were reckless demons whose fun wouldn't be halted at any cost.

* * *

_ That same day_

"You think this'll be enough?" Melanie asked, holding the coil of fuse.

"Well we'd better hope so Mel, shouldn't we?" Bobby Ray replied.

Meanwhile, Jake and Eldon were busying themselves taping the dynamite they'd swiped from the empty construction site to unsuspecting Fuzz.

"Alright, boys, we ready?" Eldon boomed.

"Let her rip!" Bobby Ray answered, lighting the fuse, after which the three kids hauled butt into town.

"Are you sure he won't feel a thing?" Melanie asked, having last minute doubts.

"He won't even know what hit him," Wade answered, "Now hush before you get us caught."

The five walked into Virgie's diner and ordered milkshakes.

About ten minutes later, Melanie looked up, mid-converstation with Bobby Ray, and said in a loud whisper, "Hey, isn't that Fuzz?"

When the other four looked up, startled, she continued, "I thought you boys said he'd stay behind in the field outside of town?"

"We thought he would," Wade told her, "that cat must really like you Eldon, what'd you give it?"

"Just some of my momma's tuna," Eldon replied.

The kids rushed out the door to stop the cat, but they got to the sidewalk outside the diner just in time to see the cat shoot down the block, as the flame neared his tail, and into a small hole in the corner of bank's front door and into the darkened, closed bank.

"Aw, shit, now what?" Eldon said a little to loudly, apparently, as two old ladies down the way glared at him.

"Maybe he'll find his way out in time," Wade said,

"Or maybe not, good thing we only strapped him to three sticks instead of five," Bobby Ray chimed in.  


The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a small explosion inside the aforementioned building.

"Poor kitty," Melanie said softly.

"Aw, come on Mel, you went along with it before, besides anything's better than cancer, right?" Jake said to her, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, I guess, and maybe he might of gotten out okay after all," Melanie replied, sniffling softly.

Before Jake could interject his doubts on the likelihood of all that, the town's only fire engine, an ancient, though shiny red, model, came zipping down the street, sirens blaring.  


"Come on guys, let's split up before the sheriff gets us!" Eldon said, taking off in the direction of the outskirts of town, the others following close behind.


	2. Mel, not Melanie

  
**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, I've been really busy, not that it's any excuse. If any of you are still checking and reading this, which I hope at least some are, expect a double update to make up for my absence, probably tomorrow or the next day, as I'm just too sleepy tonight.**  


* * *

Five adolescents stood around the corner from the local Winn-Dixie store, its lights beaming all more intimidating with the darkening sky.

"I really don't think this is gonna work, and I don't really wanna do it, can't I get another one?" Melanie asked demurely.  


"Aw come on Mel, you have to, you been dared!" Bobby Ray chimed in.

"Yeah, you can't go backing out now..." Eldon agreed.

"Just go on, Mel, we'll ge right here waiting for ya," Wade said.

Melanie tiptoed up to the side of the store and, glancing back at her cohorts' grinning faces, ran quickly towards the entrance of the store, feeling a surge of confidence.

"She is gonna be so busted," Jake said after a few minutes.

"Nah, man, she's good, no one would suspect her to be pulling stuff like that," Wade replied.

Just then an out of breath Melanie came tearing around the corner, her jacket much bulkier than before.

She unzipped her jacket and pulled out three packages of ribeye steaks.

"Holy cow, Mel," Bobby Ray exclaimed.

"Didn't think you had it in you," Eldon added.

"Yeah, well, now it's my turn to dare somebody," Melanie said, and they trotted off into the night, prepared to continue their game later.

* * *

_ The next day_

"We ain't supposed to be here, look at the sign," Bobby Ray said and pointed up.

The 'No Trespassing' sign shone white in the soft light of late afternoon.  


"So what, let's go," Eldon said, entering the stockyard gate.

All five kids walked through the gate and stopped in the middle of the field.

"Who's idea was this again?" Melanie asked.

"Sure wasn't mine," Jake piped up.

"Come on guys, let's get to work," Mel hissed back at them.

The other four walked up to him were he stood a few feet from an older cow, peacefully chomping on the sweet dewed grass.

The cow didn't know what hit him and with their combined efforts, lay on his side after a few seconds of grunt work, stranded like rolly-polly turned upside down and mooing loudly.

Eldon quickly took out his can of Silly String and scribbled a hasty message across the grass at the cow's feet, "Thanks for the TIP!"

Just then lights and voices broke into the now darkened skies.

"Let's scram gang," Jake said, pulling Melanie along with him and signaling to the others to follow.

* * *

"Melanie Smooter, where on earth have you been?" Pearl Smooter asked the moment Melanie arrived with Jake on the porch.

"Mel, momma, it's Mel," Melanie interjected.

"Whatever, we'll discuss it inside, we got lots to talk about anyway," Pearl said, ushering her towards the house.  


"Jake you'd better go," Melanie said sadly, and he backed away slowly.

Inside the house, Pearl immediately began to lay into Melanie.

"Melanie, sweetheart, you gotta stop hanging out with those boys, they ain't nothing but trouble," Pearl fussed.

"But momma I like Jake and Bobby Ray and the gang, we have fun together," Melanie replied.

"Speaking of fun, what's this I hear about beef swiping at the grocery and vandalism in the stockyard?" her mother questioned sternly.

Melanie's silence spoke volumes, but it didn't matter, because unbeknowst to her, the owner had actually witnessed the whole thing and explained all he knew of it to her mother already.

"You will take back ALL of whatever it is you took from Mr. Mesman's store and apologize and work it off as he sees fit, do you understand me?" Pearl continued, "And the same goes for Mr. Jones' stockyard and poor herd of cattle, clean up your mess and whatever else he says to do."

"Yes ma'am," Melanie replied.

"Now go to bed, I'm tired of all this nonsense," Pearl said, holding her head.

"Goodnight, Mama, I love you," Melanie said as she closed her door.

"Goodnight Melanie, I love you too, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm disappointed in you," Pearl said, retiring to her own bedroom.

"It's Mel not Melanie, Mama, get it right," Melanie said under her breath in response as she crawled beneath her covers.  


* * *

_ Six months later_

  
"I'm bored," Wade said.

"Me too," Melanie contributed.

"I've got an idea," Eldon replied.

"What kind of hairbrained scheme have you cooked up now?" Bobby Ray asked.  


"It's just something my brother and his friends always used to do," Eldon continued, pulling a cigarette lighter out of his back pocket.

"Come on Wade, it'll be loads of laughs," Jake goaded, catching on to the plan.

"You guys are so gross," Melanie said from a few feet away.  


Eldon went first, flatulency coming to him almost immediately, at which point he struck the lighter and watched for the flame surge.

Jake volunteered to go next and lit the lighter as soon as the smell of methane permeated the air.

"I'll never get why you boys think this is so funny," Melanie said but was barely heard over the uncontrollable laughter.

Wade went next, but unfortunately for him the explosion of gas was too much and the lighter was just too close to his pants.

"Uh, Wade..." Bobby Ray started, smelling smoke.

Melanie and Jake looked up at the same time and began to snicker at the thin stream of smoke that was creeping down Wade's pants.

Wade whipped around frightened, and began to scream as tiny flames and more smoke began to be visible near the inseam of his pants.

Bobby Ray, Eldon, and Jake had almost fallen over with laughter by this point as Wade took off for the shallow lake a few hundred feet away.

By the time he returned, soaked through from the waist down and slightly scorched, the laughter had died down to giggles and all were beginning to breath normally again.

"Well I think we all had a little to much fun for one night, what do ya say we head out?" Jake urged.  


  


  


  


  
  



	3. Bama Beauty Queen

  
**Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates, but alas, I have been inspired finally, plus SHA comes out today and I finally got my college acceptance letter, so yeah, it's been a good day and I'm rewarding my readers in my happiness, that is if any of you ARE still reading... oh, and btw, I should probably tell you so you aren't left wondering, this part is fast forward a few years, so the gang is all about thirteen or fourteen...**  


* * *

"Melanie, hold still," Pearl Smooter exclaimed, exasperated.  


"But Momma, it hurts, why do I need all them anyhow?" Mel questioned.  


"Because, my little girl is gonna be picked as the prettiest one it the whole state of Alabama, and your hair can't be falling down while that's going down," Pearl told her.  


Melanie crossed her arms in a huff and sat back in the swivel chair, sighing loudly.  


Her mother took this opportunity to tilt her head towards the floor and pin the last few tendrils in place.  


Meanwhile Mel began to pick at the sequins and beads on the deep emerald gown she wore, the one that her grandmother had made special for this Montgomery event.  


"Melanie, stop fidgeting, we're through," Pearl said, giving up, half in frustration. She knew better than to go all out, her hard work might not even hold up for the next half hour as it were.  


Just then the coordinator entered the room, "Ladies, please take your positions, we're starting," the stiff, balding man proclaimed loudly.  


"Go get 'em, Melanie," Pearl Smooter said, giving Mel a quick peck on the cheek and heading out to sit with her husband in the auditorium.  


Melanie spun her place card nervously, blurring the bold black type bearing her number, the thirty seven nearly smudged completely away by the perspiration coming off her hands.  


When the time finally came, Melanie stepped out onto the stage and began the practiced walk and routine, perhaps slightly too quickly out of sheer anxiety.  


While completing her final turn, she noticed a pair of wildly waving arms from the corner of her eye. On second glance she noticed that they belonged to her best friend, Bobby Ray, who sat in the center of the first row along with Eldon, Wade, and Jake. She hid a smile and snuck a sideways glance at Jake's face before scampering off to the dressing room to prepare for the next round.  


* * *

Jake sat awkwardly in the audience, pulling nervously at the collared shirt his momma had insisted he done for the event. Not that he minded of course, because he really wanted to see Mel win, even if he knew she didn't really want it for herself and only did it to please her momma. Jake's leg began to bounce up and down, more out of boredom than anything and he decided that he'd take a water break before the next round.  


On his way back from the water fountain, Jake re-entered the auditorium doors only to discover that the lights were now dimmed and the event was already in progress. He continued slowly down the aisle trying to figure out how to sneak subtly back to his seat, staring at his feet the whole way, until he heard the announcer call out Melanie's name, at which point he abruptly looked up. _Big mistake._   


He had neglected to pay enough attention to take in the information in the program and over the loudspeaker that the next event was the bathing suit competition. He was sure that he wasn't the only guy in the audience to notice that Mel had begun to, uh, develop into a woman, and the little blue tankini with daises she was sporting left little to a teenage boy's imagination, or really any for that matter. Yet, Jake couldn't bring himself to drool, he simply sunk into his seat and caught her attention long enough to add an encouraging smile to counteract her obvious nervousness. Now if only he could find a way to resist the urge to steal her away and throw his jacket over her as if it would cover enough. 'Anything would be a start over the current attire,' Jake thought, grinning.  


As the round ended and the commentator announced that there would be a brief intercession while the judges made their decisions, Jake once again began to get nervous. 'What if Mel didn't win, or worse what if she did?' After all, this could only be the beginning of a long haul if Pearl Smooter got her way, which for Melanie was any one that meant leaving Alabama and moving on into the real world.  


After ten agonizing minutes the seven judges began to announce the scores as the forty girls crammed onto the stage and prepared for the worst. Jake couldn't believe his ears when the end came and Melanie was crowned Little Miss Alabama, though he didn't know if his shock was anything compared to the barrage of emotions flickering across Melanie's face.  


After all the hype had calmed and the family and townsfolk gathered to congratulate Melanie, Jake's mother came up behind him from her place with the adults and nudged him in the shoulder.  


"Well, aren't you at least gonna go and tell her she done good, Jake?" Stella Perry urged her son.  


"Yeah, later, momma," Jake mumbled.  


"Oh, come on, scaredy cat, I'm right behind you," Stella said, dragging him over and throwing her arms around the surprisingly momentarily abandoned Melanie, careful not to crush her flowers.  


"Congratulations, sugar, you totally deserve it," Stella cooed to Melanie.  


"Yeah, Mel, you were really pretty up there," Jake said nervously, coming to stand a few inches from her.  


"Thanks, Jake, I really appreciate you guys coming all the way from home to see me," Mel told him.  


"Yeah, well..." Jake stuttered.  


"What he means to say is anytime, and anything for you, sweetheart," Stella offered.  


"Yeah," Jake echoed.  


Melanie trailed off to meet and accept others' comments, leaving the two alone.  


"You know you ain't foolin' anyone, Jake, least of all your momma," Stella told him.  


"I just don't know what you're talkin' about," Jake said, not daring to look her in the eye.  


"Sure you do, you got the biggest crush on little Melanie and the whole world can see it, even though you can't seem to admit it yourself," Stella told him, laughing and walking off to leave the obviously flustered boy to his thoughts.  


Jake sighed and walked outside the side door to get some fresh air and clear his head. He was shocked to find Mel seated on a green bench in the festive courtyard.  


"Whatcha doin' out here, Mel," Jake said, sitting beside her. _So much for an escape._  


"I didn't want to be in there no more," Mel answered, "that's momma's dream, not mine, and these shoes hurt my feet," Mel said, trying not to complain as she held up the aforementioned and since discarded heels.  


Jake stole a glance down at her feet which were slightly red and puffy before squatting down to rub them as a favor to a friend.  


"You don't have to do that Jake, I mean, my feet will be ok and all," Mel said, not sure how to accept his generosity.  


"No problem," Jake countered, and continued rubbing Mel's sore feet through her tights.  


They sat they way silently, Mel looking down on Jake in concentration and admiration, and Jake trying hard to focus on anything but the task at hand and attempting to ignore the subtle flickering feelings her was bombarded with.  


As Jake rose and set Mel's feet back on the pavement, he also scooted in with newfound bravery, and, after a few moments hesitation, planted an awkward kiss near Melanie's mouth.  


The two jumped apart almost as quickly as they came together, the moment diminishing rapidly. Now they could only wait in quiet anxiety until the adults found them.  


Hoping to ease the tension, Jake grabbed Melanie's hand and began to rub the back of it with his thumb, not wanting to say anything stupid to harm the new 'them' any further.  



End file.
